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Dordt Or Dort? CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY • VOLUME 27 NUMBER 1 • SUMMER 2019 What is the Legacy after 400 Years? CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY SUMMER EDITION 2019 Table of Contents Dordt or Dort? MARY VANDEN BERG AWARDED What Still Matters? DORDT OR DORT? WHAT STILL 20 HENRY INSTITUTE RESEARCH GRANT 3 MATTERS? BY JUL MEDENBLIK FACULTY NEWS 22 Is it Dordt or Dort? If you are featuring a Forum issue THE CANONS OF DORDT IN THEIR to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Synod of 4 HISTORICAL CONTEXT 22 NEW FACES BY KARIN MAAG Dordrecht, it helps to know how to spell the Canons of PARTNERING TOGETHER Dordt/Dort that resulted from that gathering. CANONS OF DORDT AND THE 25 8 HEIDELBERG CATECHISM BY LYLE D. BIERMA AVAILABLE CONFERENCES 26 & LECTURES The Synod of Dordrecht was an international Canons of Dordt/Dort. Consider these articles COMMEMORATING THE 400TH synod held in Dordrecht in 1618 - 1619 by as an appreciation of the Synod of Dordrecht ANNIVERSARY OF THE SYNOD OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI the Dutch Reformed Church to settle a and an invitation to the Church to continue to 12 28 controversy focused on responding to the rise learn from and be shaped by the deliberations DORDT IN WORSHIP of Arminianism. and the results from 400 years ago. BY KATHY SMITH 1618 - 1619 is a long time ago, but the Canons Editorial Note: As we finalized this issue, we faced of Dordt/Dort that resulted from that synod the question of using the spelling of Dordt has been a key framing document for many or Dort. Though the answer is complicated HOW BAD IS IT, DOC? Reformed churches, and one of the three by a number of factors – including that Dort BY STAN MAST forms of confessional unity for the Christian is an Anglicization of the word Dordt – the 16 Reformed Church in North America (The other accepted spelling is moving to Dordt. Dordt is documents being the Heidelberg Catechism the original Dutch abbreviation for Dordrecht. and the Belgic Confession). While Dort is the more traditional spelling, it seemed fitting to use Dordt for this Forum This Forum issue will not only commemorate issue that seeks to bridge the past to our the past, but also look to how Dordt/Dort current context. still functions in our present day and in the days ahead. The articles are meant to begin a conversation and help frame ongoing The Calvin Theological Seminary Forum is published Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: consideration of the meaning and value of the two times every academic year. Calvin Theological Seminary Calvin Theological Seminary 3475 Mainway, LCD STN 1 3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 Burlington, ON L7M 1A9 © 2019 Calvin Theological Seminary Editorial Committee: Jul Medenblik, Amanda Publications Mail Agreement No. 40063614 Benckhuysen, Matthew J. Tuininga, Matt Cooke, Email: [email protected] Margaret Mwenda, Jeffrey A.D. Weima Although the Canons of Dordt1 are one of the three core confessional documents of the Christian Reformed Church, many church members today have a hazy notion at best as to why this text was written and how it grew to play such a normative role for churches in the Reformed tradition, especially those with roots in the Netherlands. To understand why the Canons became such a central document, we have to go back in time to revisit the political and religious situation in the Netherlands in the later sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The Canons of Dordt were officially adopted by delegates at the Synod of Dordt, which met in 1618-19, four hundred years ago. But the roots of the conflicts that led to the Canons stretch even further back. By the last quarter of the sixteenth century, the seven provinces that made up the Dutch Republic (the Netherlands today) had taken some significant political and religious steps. By 1579, the seven provinces had joined together in a solemn agreement (the Union of Utrecht) to defend themselves militarily against the pressure of Catholic Spain. By 1581, the seven provinces had unilaterally deposed Philip II of Spain as their monarch. Instead, the seven provinces joined together to run their affairs in a loose confederation, first under the leadership of William of Orange, and then after his assassination in 1584, in an informal shared power arrangement between William’s son Maurice of Nassau and the leading Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. Maurice of Nassau focused mainly on military leadership while van Oldenbarnevelt concentrated on day-to- day political affairs. The good working relationship between these two men broke down, however, as the younger Maurice increasingly resented van Oldenbarnevelt, and was suspicious of the older man’s willingness to negotiate an extended truce with Spain, the Dutch Republic’s archenemy. These simmering tensions between the two men were only exacerbated by being superimposed on an increasingly acrimonious debate between two factions within the Dutch Reformed church at the time. ¹ Yes, this spelling is correct! The older English spelling was Dort. The Dutch call their city Dordrecht, shortening it to Dordt. Modern KARIN MAAG scholarly usage has adopted the Dutch spelling. 5 Although the Dutch revolt from Spain broke 1603 until his death in 1609. After his death, ties with Roman Catholicism and made his supporters issued a document in 1610 How do we know that our Calvinism the official faith of the Dutch known as the Remonstrance, outlining their Republic, this decision did not settle religious ideas in five main points. The group thus got salvation is secure? affairs in the republic. In fact, unresolved its name (Remonstrants) from the title of issues rapidly came to a head. At the root of their document. these theological and ecclesiological conflicts instruction and the training of pastors. Their confirming that they would uphold its were two different visions of the church. In response, their opponents published main focus, however, was to resolve the teachings. Those who refused were dismissed For the orthodox or hardline Calvinists, the their own document, known as the Counter- theological controversy over the doctrine of from their posts. In the end, two hundred situation was straightforward: although the Remonstrance, in 1611. Crucially, they election. To that end, thirteen pastors and pastors were dismissed. Many of them were visible church included everyone (both wheat also gained the support of Maurice of professors representing the Remonstrant also then banished from the territory of and weeds, as in Jesus’ parable in Matthew Nassau, who threw his weight behind these position were summoned to attend the the Dutch Republic, only returning after 13), God from eternity knew His own, chosen theological traditionalists in order to gain Synod’s meetings. Their group was dwarfed Maurice’s death in 1625. not because of their great faith or piety but leverage against van Oldenbarnevelt, who by the number of delegates upholding out of His grace. The orthodox Calvinists supported the moderate faction within the traditionalist positions. However, already How does knowing more about the historical wanted to transform Dutch society into their Dutch Reformed church. By the second from the start of the proceedings, both sides context of the Canons of Dordt help church vision of a more disciplined and pious faith decade of the seventeenth century, therefore, approached the gathering from very different members today understand the enduring community, along the lines of Reformed the political and religious situation within the perspectives. The Remonstrants held that value of the Canons? First, it is worth Geneva. Thus, they were strong proponents Reformed community in the Dutch Republic they were participating in a conference or remembering that no theological controversy of the legitimacy of church discipline was very fraught. In August 1618, after van a debate to discern the truth of the matter. takes place in a vacuum. The Canons were handled by pastors and elders. They saw the Oldenbarnevelt had established armed city Their opponents, however, believed that written in response to a very specific conflict civil authorities primarily as upholders and militias in the province of Holland ostensibly the Remonstrants were being tried for their within Dutch Reformed Christianity over how enforcers of the church’s decisions. They also to keep the peace but in practice to protect theological views before a body of their the doctrines of predestination and election objected to what they saw as unwarranted the moderate factions in the Dutch Reformed peers. Given the weight of numbers on should be taught. Bearing this context in interference of the government in church church, Maurice had him arrested on charges the Counter-Remonstrant side, the issue mind helps modern-day Christians interpret affairs when it came to selecting pastors, of treason. Meanwhile, the hardliners within was never in doubt. By January 1619, the the often-polemical tone of the document. elders, or schoolteachers. Members of this the Dutch Reformed church agreed that the Remonstrant delegates were ejected from the Second, at the heart of the seventeenth- group included pastors and professors across only way to bring an end to the doctrinal and synod, and by May 6, 1619, their opponents century debates are issues that still resonate the Dutch Republic, including Franciscus ecclesiological conflicts was to call together had crafted and ratified the Canons of for believers today: what role does our Gomarus, professor of theology at the a synod. In order to give its decisions more Dordt, to refute the Remonstrants’ views and response in faith to God’s offer of salvation University of Leiden and the University legitimacy, the church leadership and the uphold the Counter-Remonstrants’ position in Christ play in the process? How do we of Groningen, and Sibbrandus Lubbertus, government decided to hold an international on double predestination and election.
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